Using the VirusScan application
174
McAfee VirusScan
Heuristic scanning technology enables the VirusScan application to
recognize new viruses based on their resemblance to similar viruses that
the module already knows. To do this, the application looks for certain
“virus-like” characteristics in the files you’ve asked it to scan. The
presence of a sufficient number of these characteristics in a file leads the
application to identify the file as potentially infected with a new or
previously unidentified virus.
Because the application looks simultaneously for file characteristics that
rule out the possibility of virus infection, it will rarely give you a false
indication of a virus infection. Therefore, unless you know that the file
does not contain a virus, you should treat “potential” infections with the
same caution you would confirmed infections.
The VirusScan application starts out without any heuristic scan options
active. To activate heuristic scanning, follow these substeps:
a. Select the
Enable heuristics scanning
checkbox. The remaining
options in the dialog box activate.
b. Select the types of heuristics scanning you want the VirusScan
application to use. Your choices are:
–
Enable macro heuristics scanning
. Choose this option to
have the application identify all Microsoft Word, Microsoft
Excel, and other Microsoft Office files that contain embedded
macros, then compare the macro code to its virus definitions
database. The application will identify exact matches with the
virus name; code signatures that resemble existing viruses
cause it to tell you it has found a potential macro virus.
–
Enable program file heuristics scanning.
Choose this option
to have the VirusScan application locate new viruses in
program files by examining file characteristics and comparing
them against a list of known virus characteristics. The
application will identify files with a sufficient number of these
characteristics as potential viruses.
–
Enable macro and program file heuristics scanning.
Choose this option to have the application use both types of
heuristics scanning. McAfee VirusScan Software recommends
that you use this option for complete anti-virus protection.
NOTE:
The application will use heuristic scanning
techniques only on the file types you designate in the
Program File Extensions dialog box. If you choose to scan
All files
, it will use heuristic scanning for all file types.
Summary of Contents for VIRUSSCAN 5.1
Page 1: ...McAfee VirusScan User s Guide Version 5 1 ...
Page 16: ...Preface xvi McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 30: ...About VirusScan Software 30 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 52: ...Installing VirusScan Software 52 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 80: ...Removing Infections From Your System 80 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 185: ...User s Guide 185 Using the VirusScan application ...
Page 186: ...Using the VirusScan application 186 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 222: ...Creating and Configuring Scheduled Tasks 222 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 246: ...Using Specialized Scanning Tools 246 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 262: ...About Safe Sound 262 McAfee VirusScan ...
Page 266: ...About Quarantine 266 McAfee VirusScan ...